Mench Santelices ’22
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Surface Properties of Surfactant Solutions
The goal of my project was to characterize water-surface quality and physics in the presence of surfactants, which are substances that reduce
a liquid’s surface tension. Aerosol production is important for atmospheric processes. Sea-spray aerosols are produced by bubbles bursting at the ocean’s surface, and surface properties can be impacted by surfactants. I worked in the lab taking pictures over different periods of time of drops made from different surfactant solutions and of varying concentrations. I determined the surface tension of these drops and organized them for future reference. I then filmed the drops as they oscillated so that I could determine their surface tension and surface area. My contributions consisted of data on the surface properties of water and the experimental setup for future projects. From this experience, I became more familiar with reading academic scientific writing, working in a lab, and setting up experiments. This internship affirmed my desire to continue studying mechanical engineering, particularly for future work in industry.
2019
Climate Change and Environmental Science
Deike Lab, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University - Princeton, New Jersey
Luc Deike, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Princeton Environmental Institute; Baptiste Neel, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering